Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half
by borg rabbit
Summary: AU New character invades Ranma, SM timeline. Fourteen year old boy descendant of magical folk finds himself meeting Ranma at Jusenkyo. RA New character and Shampoo pairing. Rating for mild almost lime. Ch 6 uploaded and no new reviews, I'm hurting.
1. Prolog

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma ½ or Sailor Moon, and this is for my own entertainment.

This is an alternate universe story with a Shampoo emphasis on interaction, initially. Ranma will show some dazzling responsibility to help a lonely lost person. I intend for it to be a one shot that I'll tweak and add some text to a couple of times, depending on c&c. Thought I had a pre reader, but ran afoul of anti spam programming. Sorry.

Ifor ap Rhys (pronounced Ivor 'Price, a Welsh name) is my own invention. His situation is a fabrication based on my idea of a magical Stone Age North America combining with a Druid/Wiccan heritage.

As for prereading, flyman offered, but I was rebuffed by anti spam software when I tried to e-mail.

Spirit

Apatosaur

Allosaur

Stellar dragon

Mastodon

Woman

Man

Cave bear

Sabertooth tiger (smilodon)

River otter

Golden eagle

Dire wolf

Prologue:

Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half

A great blue and white dragon soared up so high that it was obvious that it wasn't the thin air that provided support for the backswept wings. He was up here to provide a last line of defense for his mother. He was one of the last of the stone clan, children of Gaiea. The queen had sent him a warning, almost with her last breath. The dark forces had ravaged the other planets until they were uninhabitable and what was left of their force was in transit from the dying moon to claim the earth or to do the same thing to her as her sister worlds. The Earth Mother, Gaiea, was determined to survive, so one of her avatars was sitting here at the edge of space to defend her ecosystems.

Three million years before, a space going animal had come to her surface, fatally wounded. Gaiea saw that its spirit was as gentle as it was powerful, so she merged it with one of her infant children and added its body to the totems of her children. This allowed her reach to extend to the planets and even the stars to find her brothers and sisters, to provide company in the long trip to the end of time.

The dragon sensed that it was time. A fleet was approaching. He drew on his tie to the planet below him and a grid of force lines formed outward, spreading, joining to form a shield of insubstantial superstrings waiting for a triggering force to react with. Dark energy came from the capital ships, intended to wipe out all evidence of civilization. Here and there, a few of the more powerful beams punched through the shield. Atlantis and Mu were gone in a flash. Other cities merely burned. The rest of the attacking beams were absorbed and the shield contracted on the dragon like a rubber band snapping. It was a suicide defense like the avatar of Saturn's. It couldn't be helped. The black hole that formed rapidly dwindled to a dot and disappeared.

The white hole formed in the midst of the fleet. No one saw the wave front coming. No one felt themselves die.

At the point where the dragon had died, a disk of flintlike stone was gradually picking up speed as it fell to earth.

The other members of the stone clan either found a place to sleep or joined the mortals, tiring of long life in the newly chaotic world.

Chaos descended upon civilization for a while.


	2. There are bad days and worse days

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma ½ or Sailor Moon, and this is for my own entertainment. If one character-aspect vaguely resembles a pokemon, please don't shoot.

This is an alternate universe story with a Shampoo emphasis on interaction, initially. Ranma will show some dazzling responsibility to help a lonely lost person. I intended for it to be a one shot of 25 to 30k words, but I've gotten impatient, its about three quarters done. Depending on c&c I'll release a chapter a week. Thought I had a pre reader, but ran afoul of anti spam programming. Sorry.

Ifor ap Rhys (pronounced Ivor 'Price, a Welsh name) is my own invention. His situation is a fabrication based on my idea of a magical Stone Age North America combining with a falsified Druid/Wiccan heritage very loosely tied into Greek mythology. The members of the Stone Clan are descendants of Kronos, hence the association with flint. The tie-ins to Sailor Moon and Ranma are a convenience and timelines are trashed. There are also elements taken from fanfics that I don't remember the author's names for which I apologize. Finally since this was meant to be a oneshot, things will move rather fast at some points.

Regarding reviews:

Sonic 1(unsigned)-this was a prolog to what will be a oneshot split into chapters that I am about half way through as I read your review. It is a placeholder and teaser.

Daniel-Sorry bout that. Its been thirty years since I read Edith Hamilton's Mythology. However, I take the copout that I am making this all up with no referent in reality and hope that none of the nastier Greek deities get pissed (like Ouranos). So I will twist and outright fabricate the universe to suit myself, like Kuno, or worse. It's lies and made up, okay (breathes heavily).

Jerry-Thanks for weighing in.

* * *

**Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half:**

**Ifor's story**

Ifor was walking down the gravel bar in the river behind the school, keeping a sharp eye out for fossils. This beat the heck out of sitting in eighth grade study hall. He had asked the superintendent at the end of science class for permission. It was always easy to get away alone. It was a small school, barely enough boys to support six-man football.

He hated having to associate with the inbred, snuff dipping, goat roping retards that comprised the male population of this rural school. Even though he had grown up here, he was an outsider. The other children made his life miserable because he had made the unfortunate choice to have a Yankee mother. His parents were great and his grandparents were wonderfully supportive. His little brother, Evan, and sister, Meadbh, were okay. But, they could never know about the prejudices aimed at his mother. He tried to defend their honor but usually wound up getting his ass kicked. Once, he was caught trying to clean up his wounds and had to explain it away as falling down the rocky hillside on the way home, to their farm, after school.

He wished that his mother would start home schooling him and his siblings, but she said that they needed the social interaction with children their ages. He 'hmmphed' at the thought. Children his age were just that, children. He had already passed a couple of sample college entrance exams with high marks. He wanted to take the entrance exams for real and apply for some scholarships, but the nearest college was an hour's drive away. He had thoughts of majoring in computer programming and studying nanotechnology. His hobbies were physics, paleontology and anthropology with interests in several other fields. All of this was aside from his involvement in the real family business. His mother was a Wiccan, descended from a long matriarchal line of benevolent witches. He was the only male to ever have inherited what had been a strictly female ability and was, unknowingly, the subject of discussion and prophecy across the US and much of Europe in Wiccan circles. He still hadn't gotten beyond calling up mana globes to light up the cellar where they trained, but he was told that his abilities would increase for five to ten years after puberty. He wanted to learn the offensive side, but his mother refused, saying that it wasn't time yet.

Anyway, on the gravel bar, he sat on a large rock, looking at his findings. He had half of a nautiloid, some snail shells and a very odd piece of flint. It looked like a hand worked amulet and was not like any Indian artifacts that he had found on the farm near the old Tonkawa village ruins. It was circular and had odd symbols chipped around the edges. A quartz crystal had grown in the center and a hole ran through the outside edge of the 'disk'. He unraveled the leather thong holding the flap of his canvas rucksack and fastened it to the amulet. He then put it over his head and the flint amulet came to rest over his heart. Ifor didn't notice the blue glow start in the quartz. He did notice the sound of thunder in the distance, up river. "I guess I had better get back to class," he thought.

Ifor headed up the washout between the willows at the bottom of the gravel bar, going to the stepping stones on the shallow side of the bar/island. He started to feel a little queasy and nearly jumped out of his skin when some rabbits ran between his legs. The reason for his nervous stomach became apparent when he heard/felt a subsonic rumble from upstream. He looked at the spot where the stepping stones were and saw that the water was a good two feet above them. "Oh, Mom! I don't want to die." Hearing a voice to his right, he saw an old Indian dressed in furs looking directly at him. Ifor couldn't understand a word, as the old man finished speaking. The man smiled a sad smile that he guessed was intended to be comforting. He pointed at Ifor's amulet and said something unintelligible, then faded away.

Ifor's chest began to burn and looking down he saw that the flint amulet was glowing and passed right through his shirt, seeming to be absorbed by his skin. His fright was so intense that he barely noticed the urine soaking his pants. As this happened, the rumbling grew stronger, until it was deafening. Water was running around his ankles now and, upstream, he could see the flash flood's crest foaming halfway up the riverbanks, far higher than his current position. He dropped his rucksack as the water began to pass his waist. A limb floating by caught his shirt and ripped it off, leaving a scrape on his side. This also had the effect of knocking him off his feet and he swam desperately, feeling himself rise up on the wave. Going under for a few seconds, he surfaced at the top of the racing wave and saw that he had already gone about a mile downstream. "Oh god, the waterfall!"

Coming up was a waterfall that passed over a limestone ledge in a drop of about twenty feet. Treading the water, Ifor watched for clues of the cataract to come and caught a large, painful breath as he felt himself drop into the roiling waters of the basin at the bottom of the fall. The currents battered him, knocking him further under as he clawed his way through the water, trying to find 'up'. Unknown to him, the amulet had finished becoming one with his body and he began to glow with a bright white aura. Feeling the currents ease and seeing the light penetrating his eyelids, he looked about and saw crystal clear water and the surface far above him. Oddly, there was a large brown bear swimming beside him and he reached out and caught the fur of the bears back as it swam toward the surface. When the bear disappeared from his hand, his burning lungs provided the incentive to swim madly toward the surface that was so close, not noticing the electric tingle in his skin, or the shifting of his body. Ifor broke the surface, taking gasping breaths. After restoring oxygen to his starved lungs, he realized that he was standing in a pool that only came up midway to his chest. "Wha…!" Something was different, he felt different all over, actually.

Looking around, he saw that he was in a spring with a bamboo pole sticking up from the center. Ifor heard a shout behind him and turned to see someone, an older boy, flailing through the air at him. He went under again, trying to get out from under the other boy. When they broke the surface Ifor thought, "How did I think it was a boy. That's a girl!" The girl looked at Ifor and acted like she just realized something and pulled open her robe or whatever she was wearing and screamed while looking at her chest. It was then that Ifor, scratching an itch, realized that some equipment that he was very fond of was missing. She joined the girl in screaming at the top of her lungs and began crying. The other girl saw this and calmed down and waded in the chest deep water and patted Ifor on the shoulder, speaking in a language that she couldn't understand. The bigger girl led the younger one to the bank and helped her out, making comforting noises in that foreign language.

A fat oriental man in some kind of uniform came up and spoke in what seemed to be the same language as the other girl. Ifor spoke to herself, "Where am I, this isn't home." The heavy person said, "Oh. Young person speak english. You fall in nyannichuan, spring of drowned girl. I telling other young person that who fall in spring take body of last thing drown in it." He removed his jacket and handed it to her, while continuing to speak, "You get old form back splash with hot water. But cold water turn girl again."

Saying this, he poured water from a teakettle over the two girls-now boys. The now taller, now male, boy spoke, "I talk engrish some, train in USA little while. Name Ranma. Family is Saotome and panda is daddyo Genma. What your name?" The younger boy spoke, "My name is Ifor ap Rhys. I don't think this is Texas."

Ranma asked, "How you get here, this China? What marks on chest?"


	3. Road to Hong Kong

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma ½ or Sailor Moon, and this is for my own entertainment. If one character vaguely resembles a pokemon, please don't shoot.

This is an alternate universe story with a Shampoo emphasis on interaction, initially. Ranma will show some dazzling responsibility to help a lonely lost person. I intended for it to be a one shot of 25 to 30k words, but I've gotten impatient, its about three quarters done. Depending on c&c I'll release a chapter a week. Thought I had a pre reader, but ran afoul of anti spam programming. Sorry.

Ifor ap Rhys (pronounced Ivor 'Price, a Welsh name) is my own invention. His situation is a fabrication based on my idea of a magical Stone Age North America combining with a Druid/Wiccan heritage very loosely tied into Greek mythology. The members of the Stone Clan are descendants of Kronos, hence the association with flint. The tie-ins to Sailor Moon and Ranma are a convenience. There are also elements taken from fanfics that I don't remember the author's names for which I apologize. Finally since this was meant to be a oneshot, things will move rather fast at some points.

* * *

Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half:

Ifor's story

Ranma asked, "How you get here, this China? What marks on chest?"

Ifor looked down and noticed, for the first time that where the stone amulet had been, there were tattoos. A diamond shape in the center surrounded by about a dozen small animal-shaped marks was set from the bottom of his throat down to his nipple line. Two tiny human figures, one obviously male were on opposite sides of the circle of animals. He shook as he replied, "I found a stone amulet in a riverbed and put it on to keep from losing it. Then the river flooded and when I came up, I was here. The amulet disappeared and left these tattoos on me, I guess." Ranma had a look of concentration and then smiled when he felt that he understood. "I from Japan. Come with us. Maybe find way to talk family and go home." At that moment a fat man in a dirty gi approached, and what appeared to be a heated debate in japanese went on for a few minutes until Ranma shouted, "Oyaji!", and hit his father in the stomach with his foot. The older man jumped back up and whacked Ranma away from the springs. He then looked at Ifor and growled something in japanese and backhanded him in a slightly different direction. Ifor thought 'this is gonna hurt' as the diamond shaped tattoo glowed, unknown to him. He landed and stood up, wondering why he didn't have any scratches or broken bones. Looking back at Genma, his eyes bugged out, when he saw the tree that he had been flying toward was broken to splinters.

Ranma had been splashed by dew from the tree that he had hit and ran at his father with murder in her eyes. A sudden slight rain caught them all and it was now a young redheaded girl chasing a panda all over the valley. Ifor saw a young man in a yellow shirt, wearing a bandana, walking in the path of the duo barreling down on him. He shouted at the boy who turned from the path to look at her. The two antagonists whizzed by, behind him. He spun around to observe them and tripped over the edge of the low bluff, falling and ricocheting into a small spring under a ledge. Ifor winced, somewhat curious about the boy's fate.

The chase finally wound down and Ranma ran over to the younger teen, looking wide-eyed. "You not hurt?" Ifor shook her head. "Even Ranma would be scratched from tree. Am martiaru artist, you too?" "What's a martiaru artist?", queried Ifor. "Is fighter. Protect weak what no protect se..lf." "Well, I'm no fighter, and have only lost my fights to the bullies." Ifor said.

"If you are going to Japan, that's at least the right direction. May I please go with you?" Ifor then gave Ranma a desperate look, stemming from his situation. "You bet.", said Ranma, "If panda baka want trouburu, I give much!" Ranma began to give an astounding display of martial prowess, pounding the older, fat martial artist.

They all wound up in the guide's hut, after the older boy had convinced his father to allow Ifor to join them. They listened to his explanation of the history of the spring's and how there was no true cure, except to lock it by two methods, one of which could be very painful. Neither of the boys felt any enthusiasm for that. The guide told them that an Amazon village, nearby, might have some elders with advice to help them cope with their situation, so they determined to leave in the morning.

* * *

The next day, they approached the village and the guide spoke. "Sirs is very lucky, today is tournament day." Repeating what he'd just said in japanese. Then he spouted a string of japanese at Ranma and the panda, who were at a table chowing down. "Is very bad to eat first prize," he added in english for Ifor's benefit. Ifor started to run to the table where the champion, a well-endowed girl of Ranma's age was shouting at the group. Of them, only Ifor was in uncursed form because he had been light enough to swing across the stream on a large vine. Ranma splashed and Genma just barreled across.

Anyway, it appeared that Ranma was going to challenge the champion for the meal. The two combatants took their stances on the hanging log. At that moment Ifor noticed the panda going for the food again. He ran to Genma shouting in english to stop. Genma was pissed at the weakling that wanted to get between him and his food and backhanded the boy even harder than at the springs. This time he was flying at the fighter's on the log. Ranma's back was to him, and the lavender haired girl watched him fly toward them, wide-eyed. Ifor grabbed the first thing he could reach, which happened to be Ranma's pigtail. He swung around the redhead, spinning her off the log and landed feet first in the girl's face. This killed his inertia and transferred it to the girl, sending her flying as well. He landed belly down on the log, staring at the Amazon, staring back at him from the ground. She looked at the confused Ranma and got up with Ifor's help, after he had jumped down from the log. She was about half a head taller but looked into his eyes as if trying to make a decision. The girl looked at someone in the crowd of watchers and nodded as if in agreement and turned back to the boy. She took his chin in her hand and spoke "Wo ai ni". She then planted a kiss on the stunned boy's lips. When their lips parted Ifor heard "Wo di airen." The guide was speaking in rapid, broken japanese to Ranma, who suddenly grabbed Ifor and ran from the village with the panda close behind. He could see the girl and the villagers following.

That night was spent hiding out in a cave. Ranma was grinning from ear to ear as he had heated some water, changing himself to male and the panda to a man, a man with two arrows sticking out from his left buttock cheek. The japanese flew back and forth until Ranma suddenly reached out and jerked both arrows out with a twist of his hand. Genma bit his fist to keep from screaming and giving away their location while Ranma 'exposed' the injuries. He applied some medication and handed his father some bandages to wrap himself up.

Ranma turned to Ifor and was still grinning. "I tell you what happen in virrage. Guide tell me that if beat champion, I get kiss of death and be chase down and killed. You saved me. I thank you, but you get kiss of marriage. I think you not ready for Amazon wife and take away with us."

Ifor slowly took this in and, oh so slowly, fell back to a reclining position with his eyes rolled up in his head.

* * *

Over the next two months the trio walked across China, eastward. Ifor had discovered a talent for japanese and had even picked up a fair amount of mandarin from contact with people in the villages that they had passed through. The girl that had followed them had almost caught him several times. However, he had learned a bundle of tricks that had amazed his new friend, Ranma and had actually managed to frighten Genma the first time it had happened.

Flashback:

They were staying in an inn. Genma had apparently 'borrowed' some money from an offering plate at a temple that they had visited. Ifor was washing up and took a close look at the tattoos on his chest through the mirror. As he stared, the figures seemed to move. One caught his eye, because it resembled an elephant. As he watched it, it seemed to grow. The next thing he knew, he was looking down at the mirror from the hole he had made in the ceiling with his head. Ranma shouted, "Ifor, is you?" Genma just screamed angrily as the floor collapsed underneath Ifor. After all, even a juvenile mastodon weighed almost eight thousand pounds. He yelped, which came out as a trumpeting blast. They left town with Ranma hanging onto the coarse fur on his head and carrying the protesting panda with his trunk.

The three hid deep in the forest, until Ifor discovered that thinking about the tattoos brought them out in his mind with enough clarity to visualize and, by concentrating on the figure of the man, he became human once more.

End flashback.

Several times the girl had found them and had come running shouting her love for her 'airen'. His favorite tactic was to become an otter, once out of her sight, and climb onto Ranma's backpack. When she caught up with them Ranma would speak in pidgin mandarin, telling her that Ifor had run ahead of them. This worked a few times, until she became suspicious. Then, he had spent three days as a girl otter (The gender magic worked on any of his forms.), until she left them to back track in her search.

Along the way, Ranma had tried to teach Ifor the basics of his form of martial art, but he had to give up in disgust. Ifor was not gifted with a great deal of agility. Ranma explained in Japanese, "Ivor, ya don't seem ta have what it takes to be much of a martial artist. Ya have ki. Yer, awful hard ta hurt, but yer speed and coordination suck. Tha only thing that's getting better is yer strength from carryin that pack."

Ifor's response was, "Ya may be right, and ya can beat me in any form. Ifor…I can defend self to most everyone else. You just too fast." 'Man I hate the way I talk.' Ifor continued his strength training.

Ifor had also decided not to explore the other shape-shifting forms after the experience as a sabertooth tiger. He didn't want to find out if the pigtailed fighter had any other phobias, and it was downright disconcerting, when Ranma started purring and rubbing him when the younger boy changed back to human. A nap later, Ranma was normal and explained about the nekoken. Ifor began to watch his back around the pudgy martial artist father after that.

When they finally arrived in Hong Kong the three decided not to swim to Japan. Ifor could do it as an otter or fly as an eagle, but wanted to stay close to the only people he knew. Ranma and Ifor worked as waitresses for about a month to earn enough for the trip. Genma spent the time sulking and drinking alcohol when Ifor refused to use his otter form to steal treasures from a temple.


	4. Xian and Ifor Meet

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma ½ or Sailor Moon, and this is for my own entertainment. If one character vaguely resembles a pokemon, please don't shoot.

This is an alternate universe story with a Shampoo emphasis on interaction, initially. Ranma will show some dazzling responsibility to help a lonely lost person. I intended for it to be a one shot of 25 to 30k words, but I've gotten impatient, its about three quarters done.

Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half:

Ifor's story

* * *

It was Ifor's third week of waiting tables and Ranma was off shift, elsewhere, training. She noticed a familiar girl enter the restaurant and head for a booth in the darker back corner of the dining room. 'She's never seen me as a girl, maybe I can figure out what is up with her without being on the run,' thought Ifor. She approached the table, signaling the other waitress that she wanted that table. Getting agreement, she spoke in her much improved mandarin, "Greetings how may I serve you this evening."

"Is there any food on the menu that is worthy of an Amazon?" Ifor responded, "The orange chicken and seasoned rice is my favorite, though I have tasted better." "Very well, bring me that and tea."

When Ifor brought the meal out, the Amazon girl deigned to look at her waitress. A chill passed through her, as something looked familiar about the foreign girl's round, hazel green eyes. She was a couple inches shorter than her with auburn, not red, hair and appeared to be just turning into a woman. Something about the girl, though, just set her on edge. "What are you, a foreigner, doing here?"

"I'm trying to get enough money to head home, to America. I was separated from my family a few months ago and wish to earn enough money to get back. I'll be awful glad to quit this job and get away from these groping perverts that come in here." "Aiyah! I understand what you mean. All of these weak men around here don't bother me! I just pound them with these." Two brightly colored, mace-like weapons appeared in her hands and then disappeared to the same place that they had come from. "Well, you're trying to get home and I am trying to find my husband that another girl carried off. You haven't seen a red headed Japanese girl with a panda and a round eyed foreign boy about your age, have you?"

A drawn out, "Nooo…not that I know of. What's the story?" "Well, I am the best warrior of my generation of the Nyannichicsu and had won our annual tournament. Then these outsiders came in and were eating my prize. The red headed girl challenged me. But, before we could start, the outsider boy came flying up and defeated both of us. Our law says that if an outsider male should defeat an Amazon, she must marry that outsider to improve the tribe's bloodline. If I fail to find my airen and consummate my marriage, I might be killed, or worse for my shame."

"If he was my age, isn't he a little young for marrying?" "Oh no! A strong warrior is old enough, if he can defeat a champion. Besides, a young one can be more easily controlled and make good babies for a longer time," was her perky response. Ifor's face reddened in response. "Do his feelings matter in this?" "If I want to live, I can't think about that. My great grandmother insisted that I follow the law and I must succeed in this test, if I am ever to be a matriarch."

"Well, I sincerely hope that you don't have to suffer, though, why should your laws apply to a citizen of another country?" "That's just the way it is. I am honor bound to take my husband, though I might agree with you about the boy. I can't risk my future or my people's future by failing to follow our laws that have protected our tribe for over three thousand years."

"I have enjoyed our conversation and must now continue my search. My name is Xian Pu." She bowed. "And my name is Ifor ap Rhys, thank you for honoring this establishment with your presence."

Ifor watched Xian Pu leave the restaurant and let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She thought 'I'd better follow her and make sure that we can avoid her.' She begged to be let out early and the other waitress agreed to cover since closing time was near. A quick friendly hug and Ifor shot out the door to find an alley to change in. 'Ranma isn't around and my tiger form can track her more easily and hide better.' She had long since figured out how to avoid destroying her clothes by concentrating on the tattoo in the right way. Her clothes vanished as she fell forward onto her front feet. She ran back to the restaurant and picked up the Amazon girl's scent and began to track, while trying to keep to the shadows.

Xian Pu had found a good place to spend the night. There was a small wooded area in a triangle shaped drainage area that opened out onto a canal. A line of bushes blocked anyone's view of the spot from the water. She built a small fire of wood scraps taken from a nearby construction site and spread out a blanket to lay upon. Though she wouldn't admit it, the girl was intimidated by the crowded city and wished fervently that she was back home and could forget about this foolish chase. As she was about to fall asleep, she felt a presence nearby, one that almost felt familiar to her ki sense. It reminded her of that waitress and her airen as well, from her momentary contact with him on the village tournament ground. It also had some wild overtones, as if it weren't fully human.

"Who is out there," she spoke. There was no immediate response. Her weapons came to her hands in response to her nervousness and after a few seconds she heard a throaty meow. She jerked her head and saw green cat eyes reflecting the flames of her fire. This was no domesticated cat. The tiger slowly left the shadows and sat on it's haunches and meowed again. She shuddered at the knifelike fangs extending well past the bottom of the jaw. Xian Pu spoke, unable to keep out a quaver, "Are you a cat spirit?" The young sabertooth began to purr loudly and nodded slightly in a manner that was eerily human. Ifor thought, 'Maybe I am, now, I don't know what that amulet really did to me. I'll try to get a feel for just who is chasing me and maybe figure a way out of this.'

Xian Pu could feel no hostility from the big cat. The predator seemed to want companionship and maybe she could get some help from this spirit.

The cat padded up to her and licked her hand that held her mace with its large, rough tongue. The sabertooth watched intently as she made her weapons vanish. The girl slowly reached out with a slightly unsteady hand and began to scratch the big cat behind the ears. The purring increased in volume to fill the campsite, audible, even, over the city noises. "You're just like a big kitty. Will you be my friend?" A nodding head was her response. She lay on her bedroll and Ifor came over and lay beside her where she could watch her face.

The young Amazon began to tell her life story to the cat 'spirit', getting nods, meows and the occasional growl as commentary. When she began to talk about her current situation, She finally broke down and wept. The cat nudged her and licked the tears from her cheeks in sympathy. Xian Pu held the tiger by the neck and gradually sobbed herself to sleep. After a bit, Ifor felt that she had learned much more than she wanted to know and prepared to get up.

A noise caught her attention and she untangled herself and slipped into the shadows. Some voices came from the direction of the ladder leading up to the street above. Her enhanced hearing caught the conversation as if she were standing next to them in human form. "I tell you, she's down there, they said that she was an Amazon. The boss said that they bring a fortune when they're broken right." Another voice spoke, "Okay, okay, lets get Lo Mei's new bitch and get out of here. Something doesn't feel right here, like a demon is walking on my grave."

Two men quietly came down the ladder and looked around. One took out a bottle and opened it, pouring the liquid onto a folded hand towel. The pungent smell of ether and something else assailed Ifor's sensitive nose and she had to fight to keep from sneezing. Not knowing how competent the two kidnappers were, she just watched for her chance, maybe Xian Pu would wake up and take them out. Her hopes were dashed when the two spotted the girl on the ground. One jumped her, wrapping her arms in the blanket to delay escape while the other jammed the towel over the girl's mouth and nose.

Xian Pu awoke to the acrid smell of the drug and ether in the towel and realized her situation, but she was trapped and unable to get away from the towel. As her vision began to fog, she heard a deep-throated roar and the hand flew off of her face taking the towel with it. As she began to gasp for fresh air she realized that the hand had been disconnected from its arm and the man was running away trying to stop the blood flow from the stump. The other man was wrestling with her friend, the cat spirit, and had attempted to stab the cat repeatedly, until the knife broke against its hide, just cutting a little fur. The sabertooth leapt back and growled, six-inch fangs dripping blood, ready to spring again. The bleeding thug decided to run, following his now one armed partner into the night.

The big cat turned to the girl who stood on shaky legs and padded up to her. "Thank you cat spirit, I owe you my life." Ifor saw that the older girl was too out of it to take care of herself and knew that she couldn't get her somewhere safe in this form. As Xian Pu sat back down and stared at the severed hand a few feet away, Ifor padded down to the canal and quickly washed the blood from her muzzle and claws. Coming back through the bushes, she nudged Xian Pu to get her to follow to safety. "I am unable to move, friend and you're not big enough to ride. They 'will' bring their friends back, maybe you should leave."

Ifor shook her head and came to a decision. Xian Pu's eyes widened as the cat's form began to flow and shrink, leaving the waitress in her uniform on her hands and knees. "Aiyah! That's why I felt you were familiar!" "Just try to stay calm Xian, I'll carry you somewhere safe, please, trust me, I mean you no harm. We can talk in the morning." The older girl held on weakly as the other carried her and her possessions up the ladder and out to the street. Xian Pu was asleep when they got to the abandoned building where Ranma and his father were already asleep. She laid the Amazon onto her own bedroll and covered her with the roll from the campsite. Xian Pu was shivering in a bad reaction to the drug and Ifor decided, again, to lie beside the other girl, but remaining human because of Ranma's presence. She enfolded the other girl to provide warmth and Xian Pu's shivering gradually eased as her body gradually entered normal sleep.

Ifor thought, 'I don't know what I'm going to do. I feel responsible for her situation, even though I know it was an accident. I've gotta straighten this out. Maybe Momma and Dad can help, if I can contact them. I think I'll lay it all out for Xian Pu in the morning. Ranma might know of something to do. Genma will probably just run. Oh well, I need to sleep.' Whispered, "Xian, please understand."


	5. Detour on the road to Nerima

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma ½ or Sailor Moon, and this is for my own entertainment. If one character vaguely resembles a pokemon, please don't shoot.

Jerry Unipeg-I guess I'm writing this just for you as no one has left reviews for the last few chapters I placed. Oh well.

**Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half:**

**Ifor's story**

* * *

The next morning, Ifor awoke suddenly to see Ranma and Genma on either side of her in offensive stances. She wondered why they would do that, when she realized that she was still wrapped around the young Chinese girl. In japanese, "Please calm down. Something happened last night that may change things. Ranma, can you get some hot water to making?" "Sure."

At that moment, Xian Pu groaned, speaking mandarin, "Aiyah, Ifor, what are we doing here? What are those two doing here?" "Xian, do you remember last night?" The girl nodded. "Well I brought you here to be safe…aaand…I have been travelling with them ever since I met them at Jusenkyo." Ifor got up and sat on a box next to their sleeping spot. Keeping her eyes on the Amazon, she motioned to Ranma for the kettle. The vessel was just warm enough and she poured a surprisingly small amount onto her hand. The shorter, male Ifor was now sitting before her.

"Airen! Itsyounowwecangohomeandimsohappywecanhavelotsofbeautiful-daughtersand…" "Whoa! Xian Pu, remember what I said last night? I have much to do and finding my parents is one big thing. I am too young to marry, yet, and have to grow up some. I'll tell the truth, the idea of going to your village scares the pee out of me. Can I suggest that we be friends and see how things go in a few years?"

Xian Pu looked at Ifor and then at his companions, then visibly deflated. "Airen, you are right. Plus you saved my life and sanity last night when you defended me. Are you really a cat spirit?" Ranma came to sudden attention, saying "C-ccat, where?" Ifor replied, "Calm down Ranma, there aren't any around. I don't know what I am any more, I was a male Wiccan. And Xian Pu, before we go any further, This is Saotome Ranma and his father Saotome Genma. Ranma was the girl and Genma was the panda at the tournament. This is Xian Pu." The two martial artists mumbled their greetings at the belated introduction. "Now, if you would excuse me, I just don't feel right wearing a dress as a boy, back in a moment."

A few minutes later, Ifor was dressed in a fashion similar to Ranma, and they all sat down on the floor to eat. Ranma was the first to speak, in only slightly mangled mandarin, "Shampoo, would you be willing to travel with us and take some time to see if this is what you truly want. We are going to Japan soon and will try to contact his family, his mother, from there. His mom might have something to say about who marries her child."

Xian Pu sat back and looked into Ifor's large hazel eyes for a few moments. She started to speak, then closed her mouth and looked down at her hands. The young Chinese girl spoke softly, "Yes, maybe I should take your advice, you haven't been responding like most males would. I should find out why, though. I think that I really like you and wish for you to like me in return. You act older than most males."

That night, Xian Pu quietly left the building and found a pay phone. She tapped out a long string of numbers and waited for an answer.

* * *

Another month later, three girls and a panda were walking south through Tokyo toward the Nerima ward and Genma's friend's dojo. There was a light mist that defied any intention to stay in their uncursed forms. The red headed girl was berating the panda, drawing attention to the group. Shortly, Ranma and Genma were distracted from their argument by screams and explosions from a nearby mall.

When they arrived, an odd sight greeted them. A horribly misshapen female demon was battling a group of girls in skimpy fukus. There appeared to be a number of injured people lying about at risk of being hurt further by the battle going on. The energy bolts flying back and forth convinced the group that it might be best to just evacuate the wounded and let the girls take care of the monster. They each started carrying people clear of the battle zone. Ranma cried out that the demon was a chi vampire and that the people would die unless it was killed quickly. Ifor flew up in eagle form and changed to a mastodon at about five hundred feet. The demon never knew what hit it.

Where the four fuku clad girls had been setting up another magical barrage against the demon, there was a slightly stunned young mastodon lying in a cloud of demon dust.

"Its another one!" shouted the one that had been addressed as Mars. "Mars Firebird Soul!" "Venus Crescent Beam!" "Wait!" shouted the other two girls, too late. The animal disappeared in the conflagration caused by the two attacks combining. When the dust and debris cleared, a badly burned and bleeding mastodon lay twitching on the ground. The smell of scorched meat hung in the air.

Mars said, "That should have dusted it. What's going on?" The blue haired girl shouted, "Because it isn't a youma. You're getting trigger happy. Look!" The creature started to shrink, becoming a nude, young girl with severe burns and cuts over most of her body.

At that moment two other young girls leapt to the girl and the lavender haired one picked her up, the red head shouting, "You bitches, couldn't you see she was helping you? If she dies, I swear you will pay!" The lavender haired one added, "You kill my airen, the Amazons will follow you until you are dead!" The blonde with the odangoes answered, "I'm sorry, please let me see if I can heal her." She then spoke in a regal voice, "Mars! Venus! Apologize now with no excuses!" The two quietly apologized to the three girls while the one called Moon brought out a scepter and asked the lavender haired girl to set the girl on a park bench and stand back.

The blonde girl moved the scepter in a circle, saying, "Moon Healing Escalation". A white beam surrounded the small girl and she jerked, arching her back. A portion of the beam seemed to be absorbed, while the rest of the energy bled off in a pyrotechnic display. Ifor looked up weakly, "Why were those girls killing me?" and lost consciousness again.

Xian Pu spoke, "Yes. Killing my airen is not a good thing. Why should I not attack the ones who hurt him…her." The one who the others called Moon replied, "I'm so very sorry that we attacked your friend. We have had a constant series of attacks recently by youma stealing people's life force and have had precious few allies in the fight. These monsters want to take over the world and they don't care who gets killed or hurt."

The blue haired girl entered the conversation, "I'm Sailor Mercury and I was wanting to know how your friend made that transformation, please. Most shape shifters that we've come in contact with have been evil. My computer does not sense any dark energy associated with her. There are very powerful magic auras surrounding her, that panda that was here for a bit and you," pointing to Ranma. At that moment, police sirens could be heard in the distance. Sailor Moon said, "Can we meet somewhere else and talk? None of us want to be bogged down by the police, right?" Xian Pu picked up Ifor into her arms and jumped to a nearby store roof and headed south. Ranma said quickly, "I'll trust you two. Don't betray us. We are going to the Tendo dojo in Nerima, should we move on before you get there, they will know how to find us. I'll make sure of that, okay?"

"Sailor Mercury and I will be there at sunset, tomorrow, if there are no youma attacks." Ranma leapt to the rooftop and followed the other two girls into the distance. As the four sailor scouts leapt in the opposite direction, Moon asked, "How can they do that? We have to transform and are only a little faster and stronger than that." Mercury replied to the others, "I think that they may be master or even grandmaster level martial artists who have the ability to bind their own and ambient life force to their will. Also, that young girl had more than one transformational phase. The mercury computer showed a North American eagle transforming into the mastodon about five hundred feet up. She hit that youma with the force of a five hundred pound bomb and was only stunned, not killed." Mars said, "Then maybe she does belong to the Dark kingdom!" Mercury replied, "No! There was no trace of darkness in any of them. The computer actually had a classification for the two older girls and the panda. They are all entry level technomages, and it was technomages that created us so long ago in the silver millennium." Moon nearly stumbled on hearing that, "What about the young girl?"

Mercury looked at her computer mid leap, "She appears to be an untrained immortal mage of the Stone Clan by her tattoos. There is little in the database about them beyond identification, that they wield the 'Eldritch Power', capital E and P, and are the children of Gaiea. I also don't think any of us could really have killed her, she would have healed by morning anyway." Sailor Moon did fall face first to the roof at that. Getting up with an embarrassed look, she said, "So her power comes from the earth, like Mamo-chan's?" "Probably from whatever world she might be on," replied Mercury.

"Well, we need to convince them to be allies, somehow," said Moon in her Princess Serenity mode. Mercury's face darkened, "Princess, that brings me to something disturbing that I just found out about your own powers. If you had tried to heal one of the technomages, they might have become our mortal enemies. Fortunately, the mage just ignored it and rejected the coercion spell woven into your healing spell. I was able to identify it because she separated it out and accepted the healing part only." They had arrived at a temple and detransformed. "Coercion spell, what's that? asked Usagi. "Its mind control, just like some of the spells Queen Beryl used to enslave the generals, like Jadeite. It is woven very tightly into your healing spell and sets up the recipient to be a loyal vassal of the Moon Kingdom and you in particular." They walked into the residence portion of the temple and into what appeared to be a large western style living room.

Usagi's face suddenly went through a range of emotions from shock to disgust to fear to anguish, as the full implications of what Ami said were assimilated. "Oh my! What have I done to you, my friends?" She collapsed onto the couch, staring ahead. Usagi had performed that damned healing spell on all of her friends, some, several times. She hiccuped once, then broke down sobbing uncontrollably. "Ami, I'm just as bad as Beryl, or mistress 9. I want us to be a team because we're friends, I don't want you to do this because of some spell that I cast on you!" Suddenly, Ami started glowing and a weight on her soul disappeared that she didn't realize was there. The senshi bond was still there, but it was perceivable as more of a warmth than as anything binding. Luna had been standing in the doorway, her cat jaw dropped. When the light formed around the princess of Mercury, she said, "Usagi, what have you done, you are the leader, and must remain so." "Luna! You knew? How could you?"

"Ami. Please call all of the scouts to meet here, now. Rei and Mina, I want your friendship and trust because you 'are' my friends. You are released from that damned coercion spell!" The true princess had emerged. The two girls glowed and collapsed for a moment in relief and all three girls hugged Usagi in an outpouring of loving friendship, finally free of the tainted healing spell.

After a few minutes, Usagi caught sight of Luna staring at her and her demeanor changed. Energy swirled around her, falling into her, and she stood as the untransformed queen. "Luna, you have a lot to answer for. Why does my healing spell have the compulsion incorporated, and did my mother have anything to do with this?" "Princess, we were trying to ensure that you would be able to restore the kingdom when the time came. I felt that Queen Serenity would agree. It has worked in our favor so far…"

"So! You did this on your own. Behind Mother's back! Henceforth I will always question your advice and I hope we don't all suffer from this broken trust." At that moment Makoto, Hotaru, Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna walked in. Setsuna said, with hesitant suspicion in her voice, "What's this about Luna and broken trust, Princess?"

"Setsuna-chan did mother…Queen Serenity or any cat advisers ever perform a healing on you during the Silver Millennium?" "Why…yes, Luna and the queen both had to help me after a lab explosion a few months before the end." Usagi glared at Luna before speaking, "I just want to be your friend, all of you. I want us to be friends working as a team toward a common goal. I don't want your cooperation because of a spell bending your free will, so, I free you all from any compulsion spell that may have been cast to bind you to my or my mother's will."

Even with the afternoon light, flashes could be seen in the living room window from outside. Setsuna opened her eyes to see the others surrounding their princess and friend, all speaking at once, all crying with joy. She closed her eyes and took an internal assessment. The geas that she willingly took as guardian of the time gates was still there, as was the now passive link to the royals, however, she felt more in control than ever before. Crystal Tokyo was a bad idea, especially since it involved flooding the earth with a 'healing' spell at the start of the Crystal Millennium.

Setsuna spoke up, "Princess, you've freed us all. Crystal Tokyo will not happen, but maybe something better will come. We have an ice age to prevent in a few years. Just know that I am here to help in any way that doesn't interfere with my geas to the time gate."

* * *

Ifor was dreaming that she was riding a very comfortable roller coaster and began to snuggle against a very warm, soft pillow. When she cracked her eyes open, she realized that she had her face jammed into Xian Pu's ample cleavage. "Airen, do you like what you see? I know I like what you were doing in your sleep." "Xian Pu, I'm still underage in most countries of the world to consummate our 'marriage' without signed parental consent. Remember, you promised to be my friend first and we will wait until I'm sixteen with my mother's permission or eighteen without. If we agree that it won't work between us, I'll marry you and give you a female child. Then we can use the divorce loophole in the laws to restore my freedom and spare your life and honor in the tribe." Xian Pu held the brilliant child in her arms just a little tighter. She was coming to love this complication that had entered her life. He or she seemed much older than his or her years.

The panda had caught up with the three girls a while before and they had left the rooftops in the target ward of Tokyo known as Nerima. Ifor had just realized that she was nude and naturally insisted on being clothed. The full body blush glowed through the now light burns and she grabbed the clothes that were handed to her and ran into the public bathroom at the park that they found to make themselves presentable. Her scream could be heard almost all the way back to the Juuban district. Ranma smirked, "I guess that she found out that her hair is gone." The water in the tap was sufficient for the change and the small group hurried toward the Tendo dojo.


	6. Here's Ranma and Ifor phones home

Disclaimer: Don't own Ranma ½ or Sailor Moon, and this is for my own entertainment. If one character vaguely resembles a pokemon, please don't shoot.

**Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half:**

**Ifor's Story**

* * *

Two depressed looking girls, one bubbly lavender haired one and a panda stood, waiting for someone to answer the knock on the door. The door suddenly swung open and a man and girl shouted "Welcome…" before backing up and running down the hall in what seemed to be nervous fear. The party looked at each other and shrugged. The panda lead the way in as the girls removed their slipper style shoes. What they found as they rounded the corner to the dining room entrance was the long, brown-haired gentleman, the kimono clad girl and two other young women coming to stand beside what was apparently their father. The oldest looking girl spoke, "Are these your friends, Father?" The man shook his head violently, stuttering out "Uh-unh-uh!" 

Taking a deep breath, he asked, hesitantly, "Is-is one of you Ranma?" To which the read head responded, "I'm Saotome Ranma, sorry about this." The middle girl said "Ooh, he's cute!" as the man glomped Ranma." Xian Pu held up a sign that read '9'. The fellow began to realize that Ranma's chest was softer than it should be for a boy and staggered back. The short haired girl then looked closer at Ranma's chest and gave the redhead's left breast a good grope and pronounced, "He's not a boy…she's 100 girl!" "Would you please stop that," quietly begged Ranma." At that the man fainted, falling to the floor. Xian Pu just snickered.

The girl in the housedress and apron brought out a futon and blanket and the man was laid out in the dining room floor to recover. As everyone and the panda sat around the man, the three sister's started an argument of sorts. When the short haired girl said, "How is one of us supposed to marry Ranma if he's a girl?" followed by another grope. The youngest looking one said, "Nabiki, stop that, they are our guests!" Ifor decide that if Ranma wouldn't speak up, she would, especially after hearing the word 'marry'.

"This is a little complicated. Could someone bring some hot water and some smelling salts?" The girl in housewife clothes got up and went to the kitchen. "I'm very interested in this talk of marriage." Ranma gave the panda a look that would melt lead. The older girl returned and gave a kettle and ammonium salts to Ifor. The boy broke a capsule under the man's nose. When he woke sputtering, he sat and looked around, "Ifor spoke up, "Tendo san, I want to show you something that will lead to an explanation." She poured some of the warm water over her, now his, head. Though not as developed as Ranma or Xian Pu, the change was noticeable. He then poured some over the Panda, that got their attention if the sharp intake of breaths meant anything, and poured some over Ranma's arm, enough for the change. The four host's jaws had dropped. "I would like to introduce us now. You know Ranma. I'm ap Rhys Ifor, this is Xian Pu of the Joketsuzoko tribe of Amazons, and the panda man is Saotome Genma." The tall mustached man then spoke with a look of newfound joy, "Very Well! I am Tendo Soun," he went around and put his hands on Ranma's shoulders and pointed to the girls. "This is my oldest daughter Kasumi, she's nineteen, my daughter Nabiki, seventeen, and my youngest, Akane. She's sixteen. Pick whomever you want and she will be your wife." A look of panic came over the three daughters and Ranma. Nabiki and Kasumi stood behind Akane. "He wants Akane." said Nabiki. "You don't like boy's, well he's half girl, a wonderful match," came from Kasumi.

Several expressions flitted over Akane's face, finally settling on one that made her look severely constipated. "YOU PERVERT!" She then picked up the dining table and slammed it over his head, knocking him out, the flower vase that had been on the table splashing her in the process. Ifor had had enough of this and performed a tattoo change to girl and slapped Akane, hard. "YOU have NO right to call my friend Ranma a pervert." She advanced on the taller girl, backing her away. "Ranma is THE most honorable person I know! You apologize when he wakes up or I'll show you how ugly I can get. Got it?" "My airen is right, violent girl. Ranma is a wonderful, shy, boy, even though he sometimes puts his foot in his mouth."

Akane glanced around, she knew that she had a right to be upset, but felt that she may have overstepped the line. Her mind frozen, she started bawling and headed up to her room, slamming the door shut. Genma said to Soun, "Well, that went pretty well, they'll make a fine couple." Followed by Genma sailing through the air to the pond in the yard, courtesy of Ifor and Xian Pu.

Ifor looked at Kasumi, who returned the look somewhat guiltily, then smiling, "What was I thinking, let's get poor Ranma comfortable and I'll tend to her injury." Ifor carried the larger girl, following Kasumi upstairs to the guest bedroom, followed by the young Chinese girl. Kasumi put a damp cloth on Ranma's head who shortly groaned, "What did that uncute macho tomboy do that for?" Kasumi replied, "Please understand, she's a very nice girl, but sometimes she is a violent maniac." "Way to go sis," said Nabiki as she came in and sat by Kasumi. Akane then entered with her head down and walked to Ranma, who looked up at her. "I –I'm sorry about hitting you. I never want to marry you, but would you want to be friends?" looking at Ifor and Xian Pu as well. The three looked at each other and nodded. Ranma said "Sure, I'd like ta be your friend, but if your dad is like Pops, we'll never get out of this without workin' together." Akane's face brightened through the tear tracks and she said, "Well, would you like to spar?" With nods of assent, they left the house for the dojo.

"Why aren't you two changing into guys?" Akane asked. Ifor replied, "I could say its because I'm bigger and stronger as a girl. The rest of the truth is that periodic cramps are a thousand times worse if I try to stay male during this time and the three of us have synchronized. I tell you. Our sparring sessions can really get intense at these times." Akane reddened, then burst out laughing. "I guess you can't be perverts if you 'really' know what girls go through." Then she burst out in a raucous guffaw, "Oh my god, if you synchronized that quickly, then there will be six of us sharing that time. Haw Haw!" Ranma looked bright red with his blush, "Yeah, that's the only time I wear panties an that's only because I gotta. Try putting a pad in boxers." Ifor was crying tears of laughter, "Man why can't you just wear briefs like I do, they work both ways and fit both forms fine. And you don't have to worry about accidentally wearing 'Hello Kitty' underwear. You ought to get some white sports bras. They would look more like a tee-shirt if you were accidentally hit by hot water."

In the dojo, Ranma said, "Ifor, go first. I wanta see if you have picked anything up that I've tried ta teach ya." "Okay sensei, but I doubt that I'll ever be anything but a beginner." Akane took a stance across from the fuzz headed girl who took a T stance. Ranma called out to Akane, "Don't hold back. Ya can't hurt her an don't let her get a hold of ya. She makes a good practice dummy."

Akane felt sure that Ranma was joking. She led off with a telegraphed punch that almost anyone could dodge. Ifor began to move and caught the punch on the cheek instead of the nose and was flipped, feet up and ten feet away, while Ranma rolled his eyes. Akane started to go check on Ifor when she jumped up and moved toward the bigger girl, taking her by surprise when she jumped at her midsection, wrapping her arms around Akane's waist. She then picked the bigger girl up off the floor and spun around as fast as she could, letting Akane fly into a pile of floor mats. As Akane was getting up on unsteady legs, she was hit in the midsection by an ungraceful tackle and knocked back to the mat. She rolled away and backed off to catch her wind and assess her opponent with new eyes. "You have all the grace of a ruptured duck and anyone can get lucky. Now I'm gonna get serious." Akane performed a spin kick to Ifor's head with enough force to windmill the young girl around her center of gravity. She then punched her with enough force to slam her into the wall, where she bounced to the floor and slapped the floor, bringing herself back into a standing position, looking none the worse for wear. Akane shouted, "Why won't you stay down?" as she charged Ifor. She knocked the smaller girl down and grabbed her feet and swung her over head like a human club, smashing Ifor into the floor. Ifor just looked back up at Akane and grinned trying to loosen the bigger girls hold on her feet. Akane would have none of this and smashed Ifor's upper body into the floor repeatedly, watching for any sign of pain or unconsciousness. Ifor just crossed her arms and was just riding out Akane's attack with an irritating smirk that inspired increasingly overwhelming violence. The carnage continued with Akane's battle aura manifesting, making her berzerker rage frightening to behold. After quite a few minutes her aura suddenly winked out and she was suddenly just standing there, staring at her opponent, her hands just nervelessly releasing hold of Ifor's feet. Ifor just got up brushing dust and splinters from the remnants of her shirt and walked to Akane and placed her index and middle finger to her head and pushed. The bigger girl just fell over backwards, unconscious. Ranma and Xian Pu shook themselves out of their numbed states. The red haired girl said, "Well that's one way ta beat someone. No style or grace, just make em wear themselves out. We gotta work on that girl's temper though."

The group went into the house following the smells of a well-cooked meal. Ifor was playing the part of pack mule, carrying Akane.

After a wonderful dinner, marred only by the battle between the Saotomes for their food, Ifor offered to help Kasumi clean up. She cleaned and dried the dishes and asked about getting help finding her parents. "Oh my, Ifor, I believe that that would be something Nabiki would be more qualified to do. She is the one who helps our budget by trafficking in information." "Thanks Kasumi, I'll go speak to her."

* * *

Ifor knocked on Nabiki's door, "Nabiki, its Ifor, can I talk to you for a bit?" "Okay, first consultation's free." "I was wondering if you would help me contact my Mom and Dad? It's been a few months since I left Texas and I don't know how to use the asian phone system. Can you help me place a collect call?" "Sure, write your number down and I'll do the routing." Ifor did as requested and changed to his male form so his voice would be familiar. He squirmed a bit as the pad was uncomfortable, but it would be worth it to talk to his parents finally. As Nabiki began dialing he said, "My Mom's name is Gwynne and Dad's is Robert." He sat in the desk chair as she leaned on the desk.

Nabiki spoke in passable english after a bit, "Yes, a collect call from Ifor ap Rhys." A few long seconds passed. "Am I speaking to Gwynne ap Rhys? I think that your son would like to speak with you." She handed the phone to Ifor, who took it with shaking hands. "H-h-hello Mom?" "Ifor is…is that really you?" "Yeah mom, it is, can you come get me?" he sobbed. "Oh honey, we thought you were dead. When you never showed up after study hall and the flood and the principal told us where you went and we searched for weeks!" The other end of the phone only carried the sound of weeping for a minute as Ifor tried to comfort his mother through the phone. "Mom! It's okay. Please listen I'm in Tokyo, Japan." He gave her the Tendo's phone number and address. "Now Mom, something happened to me in the river bottom. Something to do with the family 'business'. I went underwater in the river, but when I came up, I was in a spring in China." "China? A translocation like that, your great grandmother could only manage about ten miles and would be exhausted for a day." "Mom, I doubt that I did it, or did it all. I found an 'artifact' on the gravel bar. It was an amulet made of flint with animal shapes scratched into a circle around a central crystal. I made a leather thong and put it on, then it disappeared into my chest and then there was this old Indian shaman saying something and then the flood happened and I came up in the spring in China. Between the amulet and the spring, I've been changed." "But you're still my Ifor?" "Yes, Mom, I'll tell you all about it when you get here, I've been well taken care of and there are several people that you have to meet. Please prepare yourself for several major shocks. It seems that I may have gotten myself an Amazon wife." "…." "Mom….MOM?" The connection had been broken.


	7. Sort of a Finish

Don't own Ranma one half or SM

pspinler: Thanks for the extensive critique. My character isn't intended to be a self-insert, though some elements of an author's observations tend to creep in. As to the rest of your comments, I wouldn't have minded hearing some as I was typing almost random keystrokes. Yes it may be a little late to make some of the excellent changes that you suggested. I probably should think through a story better, perhaps make an outline and have someone look that over in the capacity of prereader a.k.a. editor. I have not been blessed with one yet, so I stumble along. I just finished a very short one shot and the three reviews I have gotten so far hint that maybe shorter, one shot stories may be worth looking at.

**Twelve Totems of the Stone Clan One Half:**

**Ifor's story**

Please prepare yourself for several major shocks. It seems that I may have gotten myself an Amazon wife." "…." "Mom….MOM?" The connection had been broken.

* * *

Ifor resumed her feminine form and immediately doubled over with cramps. She staggered to the bathroom for another pad, and then to Kasumi to see if they had any heating pads for her poor abused abdomen. When she was done cleaning up, a look in the mirror showed that her hair had grown about four inches since the last time she looked. 'Well, at least the embarrassment can be minimized.'

As Ifor entered the living room she saw Ranma and the Tendo sisters talking quietly at the table. Xian Pu was seated in front of the TV looking troubled. The two fathers were playing shogi and drinking sake…and talking about uniting the schools. This got an occasional battle aura from Akane and or Ranma, but it seemed that they were doing their best to ignore them. Ifor went to the young Chinese girl. "Xian…would you like to take a walk for a bit? We should talk." "Yes. We can go on a date" Switching to Mandarin as they walked out, Ifor began, "If you want to call it a date, okay. I am not going to consummate any marriage, besides, I went through enough pain staying male to talk to Mom. I figure that I'd best stay female the rest of the week." "Ifor, I need to tell you something. I have been keeping in touch with my great grandmother since before we left Hong Kong…" "Yes you have, great granddaughter, but you didn't tell me how lovely my son in law was." Ifor looked at the old, short mummified looking woman, "I felt you following us from the Tendo's gate. I take it that you were the one who sent Xian Pu after an underage husband. In America, that is statutory rape." "Call me Kho Lon, though you are not particularly tall your aura felt much older. For that, I apologize. However, Amazon law must be upheld, regardless of other nations opinions." "Elder, does that mean that you are so inflexible that you would hold to your laws while Beijing drops a daisy cutter on your village?" "I am free to negotiate to some extent, but I also feel free to encourage you to come to our point of view." She suddenly hit Ifor on the sternum. "Why did you hit me? Xian told you why I am here, I assume." "Yes, I look forward to meeting your mother and making the case for bringing you back to the village." Xian Pu spoke up, "Great grandmother, was that the full body cat's tongue pressure point?" Kho Lon nodded. "You should not have done that, I have been trying to be Ifor's friend and if we marry, she has convinced me that it should be an equal partnership and with some amount of affection on both our parts." Ifor said, "I felt your chi trying to interfere with my own channels. I used my mother's technique to block you. You see, I come from a line of Wiccans going back at least eight thousand years. I was the first one born male to come into my mother's powers. I fear that you will 'have' to listen to her opinion and she IS on her way now. Oh by the way, I did have a female form before Jusenkyo." 'She doesn't have to know that it was only a few minutes before,' thought Ifor. "Xian, let's finish our walk. I am sure that I'll see you again, for now could you give us some privacy?" The teens went down the street and around the corner. Kho Lon's curiosity got the better of her and she roof hopped to spy on them. Maybe she wouldn't have to force them after all. When she spied Xian Pu, she nearly fell off the roof. The girl was riding a giant bear. She had never seen such a large bear in her three hundred years of life. The bear paused and looked back, right at her and let out a low growl and sped down the street with a giggling Xian Pu hanging on for dear life. Kho Lon sat on the roof and stared, long after the great cave bear was out of sight.

* * *

When Ifor slowed down, she realized that they were back in the part of town where they had the run-in with that demon and those girls. She was about to turn around when Xian Pu spoke up, "Ifor, what was that flash?" Ifor let the girl down and transformed to girl form. "I don't know, but you know who lives around here, so let's be careful." The two girls headed to where the skyline was flickering. When they arrived, it was apparent that it was an apartment fire and the lower floors were heavily involved. Ifor said, "Xian, we have to help. You can hop on that building and you should be able to catch anyone I toss to you, okay?" "Sure Ifor, let's go." Ifor became an eagle and took off before anyone saw. Xian Pu got on to the neighboring building with a few leaps.

Ifor surveyed the flat roof and decided that the side facing the Amazon's roof was ideal. She landed and transformed to the cave bear form because of its strength and claws. She went to the far side of the roof to make her entrance, so that drafts would force the fire away from the rescue location as long as possible. She dug through the tar, gravel and few inches of reinforced iron as if it were only so much soil. She jumped down and realized that her head was still above the roof, "Oh well." She got down on all fours and carefully plowed through all of the walls in a pattern to let her check every apartment. After five minutes, she had cleared the entire floor and had placed six adults and five children on the roof. She would transform and let them know that she was helping them before transforming back and carrying and boosting them to the roof. She then dug down to the next floor where there were active flames. Sadly she found three for whom it was too late, but did save a mother and an infant hiding in a closet. At that point it was getting too hot, even for her, so when she made a new hole in the roof, she followed the mother and child out. She transformed and led them to the edge of the roof, where she could see Xian Pu waiting across and down the alley, on the other roof. She took another look at the gap and made another decision, since the side of the building with a fire escape was now fully involved. She explained to the rescuees what she had planned. She took the children and threw them to Xian Pu, one by one. The adults started to breathe easier when they observed the Amazon's competence. As the last child and infant were safe, Ifor returned to bear form and had the two weakest sit across her neck, holding tightly to tufts of fur. She then stood on her hind legs as the rest of the people caught hold of fur all around her back and sides. Climbing over the parapet, with every one hanging on for dear life, Ifor climbed down the wall of the building, using windows for hand…pawholds and making holes where there were none, down five stories to a waiting Xian Pu and the firemen. At the bottom, once everyone was safely off, Xian jumped onto Ifor's back and they were off into the night on a zig zag path through the streets and parks at speeds that only a giant cave bear or thoroughbred horse could achieve.

They arrived at the Tendo ke, where Ifor changed to human form. Xian Pu said, "Airen, every time I think that I have you figured out, you surprise me. Thirteen people are alive because you cared." "Xian, who caught those children and helped me. I think that your own heart is greater than you think." Xian Pu took Ifor into her arms and leapt over the wall. As she let Ifor down, she said, "Let's get a bath, you smell like you kept all of the smoke in the bear's fur." Ifor laughed and they went into the house.

* * *

The next morning Ifor woke to find Ranma being tossed through the attic window by Genma. "Genma the only way that you've been able to beat Ranma has been through sneaky, underhanded methods, why don't you grow some honor." "Child, he has to be ready for 'anything' that comes along." Saying that, the fat martial artist leapt out the window to spar with his son.

After a soak in the hot water of the furo (Ifor remained a girl, thanks to the magic of the female tattoo) Ifor joined the others at breakfast. The Tendos and Saotomes were watching the news as Kasumi brought a western style breakfast of eggs, shredded potatoes and a small amount of bacon to the table. Nabiki looked up at the young amazon and said, "Shampoo, that looks an awful lot like you riding that bear at that apartment fire last night." Xian Pu and Ifor traded nervous looks. "I-it could have been." Ifor jumped in. "There are some things that I haven't told you, yet." Nabiki asked, "So what do you have to do with a girl and a giant trained bear?"

Ifor glanced at Xian Pu before turning to the Tendos, "It has to do with more magic. To show you, I need to go outside, after we eat Kasumi's wonderful breakfast." The young unmarried housewife smile demurely in acknowledgement of the compliment. "All we need are grits and gravy and this would be a perfect southern US breakfast."

After they had eaten, everyone went to the porch. Ifor dragged Xian Pu with her to stand by the koi pond. "Ranma and Genma know of some of my forms, but not all, and I won't take one for Ranma's sake. This is what I had last night." Ifor remained standing, but grew into an eighteen-foot tall cave bear. She came down to all fours and Xian Pu climbed on to her back, which was still taller than everyone present. She crouched down and motioned to the Tendo sisters and they all clambered up behind Xian Pu on Ifor's broad back. She walked around the yard a few times and was pleased at the giggles of excitement from the girls, Kasumi had a particularly pleasant laugh. She changed to human form and it looked like an old fashioned dogpile as they all laughed at the situation. Xian Pu helped the other girls off of Ifor.

"I'll show you some other forms now, so please don't get freaked." With that she morphed into a dire wolf as tall as Ranma's girl form." To get some laughs she playfully bowled over Soun and Genma and gave Genma a slobbering lick to the face. She feigned being sick and staggered to the middle of the yard where she played dead, to the amusement of everyone but Genma. Then she transformed to an otter and climbed up onto the young Amazon's shoulder as something clicked. "So that's how you hid from me, airen." 'Oops, forgot she hadn't seen me do that one.' Ifor did an otter shoulder shrug as the other girls, minus Ranma gathered round to ooh and ah with murmured kawaii's. Kasumi seemed to find the sweet spot behind her ears by instinct. She stayed otter longer than the other forms because of the attention, but finally returned to human with a shiver of residual pleasure. "I have several other forms and have yet to try them all. Something tells me that three would be ill advised in the city, something for the country where there are fewer people. There is one that makes me nervous as the tattoo is just a symbol, after this next form, I think I'll try it though. She then became a large golden eagle and submitted to another round of attention from the girls, though Xian Pu was beginning to have to fight a feeling of possessiveness. After a bit, Ifor returned to her female form. As she thought about the tattoo that was a symbol, a voice entered her consciousness, urgently advising against that just yet. "Don't child, just yet, you don't know enough of your family's past and must learn self control. Learn to meditate, learn from your mother and listen to those who come to you this evening, for they will help you." Ifor felt a shove and she was firmly in her body again and going through a fit of shaking. Xian Pu caught her before she hit the ground. "What's wrong airen?" Ifor croaked, "Just something…not ready…" She took Ifor to the attic bedroom and lay her down on the futon. The others had followed, but seeing that she was just sleeping, everyone but Xian Pu went back downstairs. "Xian, some of those girls are coming in a couple of hours. Please bring them to me and don't be angry at them for what happened yesterday." "Okay airen, oh by the way, your hair has grown back, it looks nice. You know I worry about you, even if you are male at times." "Yeah, well I'm kind of getting used to having you around too. Maybe we can really date in a year or two, if mom allows it."

At that moment, Nabiki rushed in, "Ifor, your mother just called. She was changing planes in Hawaii. She said to wait here because she'll have someone from the American consulate escort her here. She should be arriving at the station near Furinkan High School tomorrow at 3 p.m.! It's a school day, but I think we all would like to be there to see the reunion." Ifor suddenly felt dizzy. After all these months of waiting, it was happening so fast. What was her mom going to think? She still had three days at least before she could comfortably become male and wondered what her mother would feel on finding that her oldest son was also her daughter.

A couple hours later, a still stunned Ifor was sitting in Xian Pu's lap with Ranma and Akane sitting close by. Ranma spoke, "C'mon Ifor, it'll be okay. Your mom'll understand. Just be glad ya have good parents. Hell. I can't even remember my mom, its been so long." Xian Pu thought, 'Even though my airen is a powerful warrior with a big heart, she is still just a child becoming an adult. For some reason, that just seems to make her more special.' The doorbell rang and, after a bit, Kasumi entered with two girls following.

The girl who seemed in charge was a little taller than average and had long blonde hair falling in twin ponytails from two odangoes. Her companion was about Akane's height and had blue-black hair and a bookish air about her. When they came in front of Ifor they bowed very low at the waist. The taller girl said, "I am Tsukino Usagi and this is Mizuno Ami, Ifor-sama I wish to express my deepest apologies to you and your friends for the injuries caused by our group yesterday. I also want to thank you because you were instrumental in a change in us that may save billions of lives." Everyone listening sat there stunned. Ifor got up from Xian Pu's lap and looked up into the other girls face and could feel her sincerity with the same force as the peace that Kasumi radiated. "Please Usagi-san, can you explain this?" Usagi gazed at everyone, at Ranma, Akane, Xian Pu, Kasumi, Ifor and lingered on Nabiki a bit, then seemed to make a decision. "What I am going to tell you must not leave this room without discussing it with me, please." Some heads looked at Nabiki, who shrugged and nodded in the affirmative. Usagi then spoke, with a relieved tone of voice, "I want to let Ami-chan give you the first part of the story, which has to do with some 'very' ancient history. Ami?

Ami brought out what appeared to be a laptop and began typing on the keyboard. A slightly transparent three-dimensional display appeared in the space in front of everyone. It was the solar system, but some details seemed odd. "About twelve thousand years ago the entire solar system was populated and was ruled by the Moon Kingdom under the near immortal Queen Serenity. The earth was the birthplace of life here, but was an independent kingdom ruled separately from the rest of the solar system." The images illustrated the people and places being discussed. "The queen was supported by warrior princesses of great power, each ruling their own planet. Their powers were tied to their planets and also bonded to the queen. There were those who were dissatisfied with the status of things. Some complaints have been shown recently to have validity. However, there were some that wished to take over by violence and destroy the peace that had lasted a millennium during Serenity's reign, called the Silver Millennium. These people embraced the dark aspect of magical energy and assembled their armies in a pocket universe that was hidden away from the spies of the Moon Kingdom. When they attacked, it was a total surprise and all the inhabited worlds save earth became dead places that would support no life except for some of the palaces. The queen and all of her followers and allies were murdered. They were stopped, though and sealed away in the very dimension that they had used to prepare their invasion. The queen gathered the souls of her court and sent them forward in time to where they would be reincarnated to begin restoration of the kingdom. She also placed some advisors in stasis to aid the future princesses. There was one princess who survived, she was the guardian of the Gate of Time, The senshi of Pluto. Three beings were instrumental in the defeat of that dark kingdom. One was the senshi of Saturn, who destroyed most of their fleet. Another was the senshi of Space, who we think was lost to us when she sealed the boundary between our universe and that dark kingdom. The last being, the ancient mage Krons, sacrificed himself defending the earth from the still powerful remnants of their fleet that was moving on the earth. They were responsible for the survival of humanity, though the two greatest centers of civilization on earth, Atlantis and Mu were lost, along with the great crystals that channeled most of the planet's workaday magic. A Dark Age followed that set humanity back thirty thousand years."

Usagi then spoke, "This brings us to the near present. The senshi of Pluto did survive and watched and waited. She began to implement what she thought was her queen's final wish, the creation of Crystal Tokyo. What she, the queen and ourselves didn't know was that her healing spells had another spell tied into them, placed at the request of one of her advisors, thinking to be 'helpful'. It was a coercion spell that made the recipient a loyal subject to the queen. It was so subtle that one would mistake subservience for gratitude, honest friendship and loyalty to the crown. Pluto had been 'healed' before the end of the Silver Millennium and was carrying out an ill-advised wish of the queen. When I tried to heal you yesterday, Ifor, you rejected the coercion spell. I don't know if you did it knowingly, but you separated the spell out and it was flagged on Ami's mercury computer. I found that I had been ensuring the loyalty of my friends with what seemed to be just an innocent healing spell. Fortunately, all I had to do to release them was to say that they were freed from the binding. Even more fortunate, my friends all reaffirmed their oaths and are still my friends whom I love with all my heart. I would like to ask all of you to be our friend…and if you would be willing to be allies as well. There are some really bad things coming up over the next few years and we need all the help we can get to protect the peoples of our world. We've been trying to do it alone for too long."

Ranma, trying to absorb this, like the rest, said the first thing that came to mind. "A martial artists duty is ta help the weak. If ya need help just call, okay." Akane spoke up, "I'll do what I can to help you," 'I get to help my heroes, the sailor senshi. Maybe I can get some autographed pictures.' Nabiki thought, 'Maybe I can get them to let me be their agent. Then I won't have to worry about the house finances or college.' "I may be able to help with strategic, financial and logistic issues and improve your effectiveness that way." Kasumi said, "Oh my. I think that all I could offer is the use of the dojo and some meals if you get too busy to worry about somewhere to work from." "Yeah, Kasumi's the best cook in Nerima, Maybe Tokyo," added Akane. Ifor finally spoke, "Xian Pu and I may be leaving in a few days for America, but I'm willing to help in any way I can." Xian Pu nodded in definite agreement.

Now Ami spoke, "Usagi and I had another reason for being here in addition to our apologies and request for alliance. Since you have forgiven and welcome us, I have gifts of knowledge to help you improve your own abilities." "Ami! We were going to offer this regardless." "Sorry Usagi, I did not mean for it to sound that way. Will you all accept my apology?" "That's okay, I have a bad case of Saotome foot in mouth disease, myself," responded Ranma with a smirk. "Well Ifor-san, Ranma-san, Shampoo-san and now it appears Akane-san, it seems that you all have at least the basics to be what was called in the Silver Millennium, technomages." "What is that?" asked Ranma.

"Technomages were the scientists of the time. They were the ones who crafted the magic that we use to fight youmas and do nearly everything else. They designed the propulsion systems for space ships, magic artifacts and weapons to defend the kingdom. Not all were magic users, but they could create and modify magical artifacts." "How did they do that?" asked Ifor. "They used their ki to manipulate the spells and to scan and analyze the materials that they worked with. The artifacts were like magic collectors that allowed practitioners to access greater amounts of magical energy." Ami reached into a subspace pocket and pulled out a sheaf of papers, separating them into two sets. "Please, don't let these out of your control." She handed a set to Ifor and another to Ranma. They have a little of the history of technomages and the basics to practice the art. You can learn the fine control of your ki that you will need to go to the next step. When the Mercury computer determines that you are ready, I can give you the next set of lessons." "Thanks." Chimed Ranma and Ifor simultaneously. Ranma placed his into his own subspace pocket. "Ranma, can you teach me that trick?" "Sure, Ifor, tonight." Usagi broke in, "Ranma, Ifor, when you get good enough, could you do me a favor and fix my healing spell? I may have to use it as is until then, but I swear on my honor that I'll free the recipients of their compulsions." Ifor felt an urge to give Usagi a hug, and did so. Xian Pu grumped a bit, but brightened when Ifor sat beside her again.

Ami cleared her throat, "Ifor, I have more information for you. My computer gave you a different designation than the others. Your ki and magic signature is very similar to that of Krons one of the last of the immortal mages, a child of Gaia, the earth goddess." "I found a flint medallion and when I put it on…I think that it became part of me." Ami typed furiously into the mercury computer for a minute or two. "Okay. I think I've got it. That amulet and your tattoos are the physical manifestation of the seal of Gaia. Only the chieftains and lieutenants of the Stone Clan had them and only a descendant of the wearer can merge with them. The seal can separate from the wearer at death and can be copied at the birth of a child of the wearer's female form. That doesn't make sense, you are a girl, so it seems redundant." Ifor said, "No…it's not. My birth form was male." 'I'm glad that the Jusenkyo curse doesn't attract cold water as much if I voluntarily stay female.' She became a boy for a minute, watching the shock on Ami and Usagi's faces, then shifted back, grimacing a little at the pain rising from her lower abdomen. "I've been having to stay female because of my monthly visitor." Then Ifor shook as she realized something. She whispered into Xian Pu's ear, in mandarin, "That means that if I want to pass my abilities on, you may have to visit the spring of drowned boy, still want me for your airen?" Xian Pu's eyes widened. After a few moments, she hugged Ifor, "Wo ai ni. I may actually be crazy, but I think I really love you, you are a powerful warrior, after all." Ifor sat there with a disturbed look on her face, "I want to think about this for a long time."

"Ifor, here is some more printed material. There is a short history of Krons' people written by Krons and a primer, as well, on his abilities and cautions, also. I brought three communicators in the hope that you would be able to help us and to let you call us if there is any way we can help." Ami gave Ifor the papers and a small device resembling a cell phone. She gave one to Ranma and another to Akane. "One thing that I recommend, we all have disguise fields built into our uniforms. This is to protect our families and some of our families don't even know we are senshi. I recommend that you figure out a way to disguise yourselves in public. Otherwise, your home could come under attack. Ranma said, "I was on a ten year training trip and I never paid attention to the news. Could ya transform for us? Ifor, ya could show a couple of your shapes too." The tall blonde said, "I'll show you my transformation, the others will have to decide for themselves." She held up a small pen-like object and said "Moon crystal power makeup!" and went through a light show, making Ranma almost have a nose bleed as her clothes disappeared, to be replaced by a fuku. "In this guise please refer to me as Sailor Moon. As the last of the transformational energy dissipated Ami noticed a symbol form on Ranma's forehead for just a moment. She thought, 'No, I thought that she died and wasn't going to be reincarnated. Plus Ranma's a boy…I wonder if he's as cute as a boy as she is as a girl? Darn! I think they said that he was engaged to Akane.'

Ami hesitantly spoke up, "S-sailor Moon. C-could you and I speak to Ranma in private?" Ranma spoke, "Hey, I thought we were all open and honest, now. What you have ta say is okay to say ta my friends." "I don't know if you want everyone to hear this." "Go ahead I ain't afraid of nothin'." "Okay, well, when Usagi transformed I saw a symbol on your forehead. I think that you may be the missing senshi." "WHAT! No way! I'm a guy! I only turn into a girl because of Jusenkyo." "Usagi came up to Ranma and detransformed. This time everyone saw the symbol. Kasumi said with excitement, "Oh my! My future brother in law is a sailor senshi. How wonderful." Usagi said, thoughtfully, "Ranma, there's only one way to find out. I'll see if Luna, my Moon Cat advisor, has your henshin stick. If you transform and have at least some memory restored from your past life, that will definitely prove it." "Yeah, I'll do it ta prove that it ain't so. I ain't gonna be no weak girl-URK!" Ranma was slapped, punched and generally pounded into the floor. Nabiki was thinking of potential agent's fees if Ranma was really a senshi, she needed to go to visit Usagi with a well-researched plan. Ifor dragged the red haired girl up to their attic bedroom with Xian Pu's help.

Before the two girls left, Ifor ran up to them. "I just had a thought. Did you say that you had a cat?" "Yes we have two moon cat advisors." "Well don't let Ranma see them or you could all be in danger." "Why?" Asked Usagi. "Ranma went through nekoken training as a child and now has a ridiculously intense ailuraphobia and when his fear gets intense enough, he thinks he is a cat, a cat with long ki claws that can cut through ten inches of steel plate like it was paper. I'm lucky that he is a good friend because I accidentally triggered it when I was trying out my smilodon form." Ami asked, "You have a sabertooth tiger shape? How many forms do you have?" "I think, twelve, counting male and female human. I think that I'll walk you home, for your protection and to know how to find you. Okay?" "If you want, yes, though we could probably take care of ourselves." "Yeah, but no one will bother you if an Amazon and her pet tiger are with you. Hey Xian, come on, we're walking them home." She transformed into a large juvenile sabertooth walking beside the young Amazon. As they walked along, in quiet friendship, Ifor suddenly changed to her girl form, "Usagi? You said you were the Moon Princess, right? What if instead of ruling over Crystal Tokyo, you restored your kingdom on the moon? If you can restore the terraforming magic on the moon, you should be able to solicit immigrants to escape the overcrowding on earth." "Why Ifor that's a great Idea, we have been so blinded by Pluto's plan for Crystal Tokyo that no one even thought of it. Will you help us?" "Sure. Actually I would think that Gaia considers the moon to be her child and would provide spiritual support." She resumed her tiger form and listened in as Usagi and Ami talked animatedly about how they could set about restoring the moon, starting with the palace and the terraforming magic.

* * *

Ifor was torn between a feeling of excitement and fear standing at the station with her friends. They were waiting on her mother's arrival. It was three p.m. and the train was due to arrive any second. She hoped that her mother would understand what she was going through. It was about that time that three communicators began to vibrate simultaneously Akane answered first, it was Usagi, "Akane, thank heaven I got you. An army of youmas is overwhelming us. A dozen are attacking the trains and draining passengers and more are at a mall and park." The communicator's speaker was loud enough for everyone to hear. Ifor shouted, "Mom! We gotta help. I'm taking the fast way, follow me, please, Ranma, Xian." Her eyes leaked tears as she became an eagle and flew off in the direction of Juuban.

From the air and following the tracks, she saw the youmas attacking a train and another figure 'standing' in the air watching. Something about him said that he was controlling this attack. Well, she would take him out and then go after the youmas. She got above him and transformed, but not into a mastodon. The man sensed something and looked around nervously then up as several tons of Allosaur hit him with the business end. Ifor's jaws snapped shut and the head and legs fell away. She shook her head to get the torso out of her mouth. The dark energy in the body left a vile taste behind. She transformed to cave bear form and landed near two of the demons. Martial artist or not, her six inch, steel hard claws ripped two demons to dust and she proceeded down the track taking out each youma viciously and efficiently. One had managed to hit her with a ranged attack, but she shrugged it off and kept going. Only two more to go and she could look for her mother, if she were still alive. There were several bodies of the innocent tin the youma's path of mayhem. She saw the last demon reach out and jerk the end of a car off, exposing the people within, and saw…her mother come out as if to stand between the monster and the people. Ifor roared and disposed of the youma in front of her with a slash and began running toward the last youma, knowing that she wouldn't be quick enough when she saw her mother manifest a mana ball and throw it at the beast. When the ball of energy touched the youma, lightning surrounded it in a halo of destructive energy and the creature collapsed. The attack was not enough to dust it, not quite, and it slowly stood and began to reach for Ifor's mother again. Then a huge clawed paw burst from its chest and slashed sideways through the demon dust. Leaving the huge cave bear looking at its mother. Gwynne looked at the new monster, but saw something familiar, and let her second mana ball dissipate to nothingness.

The bear stood up and looked around as if searching for more enemies then appeared contemplative. Before her the bear shrank, becoming a young girl about the age of her son. She went up to the woman and said, hesitantly, "Could you please come with me. I…your son is very glad that you are here." "You know Ifor?" "Yes, I know him very well, actually. Please come, I'll give you a ride, okay? You'll be safe with me." Then the cave bear was back and crouched low allowing her to climb to its back. It took off running, but making sure that her mother had a smooth ride." Even though she wanted to take her mother to the dojo, she had to check on her friends. As she approached the mall battlefield, she found a store in a solid looking building and stopped, people running in fear from her. She crouched low and made a rumbling, yet plaintive noise and got her mother to dismount. She became a girl again, "Ms. ap Rhys, could you wait here, inside. It should be safe and I'll be back after I help my friends get rid of these demons." "Sure, go ahead. If any get this far I 'can' defend myself." "Sorry, but please understand how important Ifor's mother is to him." "Okay, go on dear." The girl became a bear again and took off down the street. Gwynne found a bench and sat down. 'That girl looks enough like Ifor to be his sister. I don't know of any relatives in Japan. But. Oh my, doesn't she have a talent. We haven't had a shape shifter in the family for I don't know how long without looking it up.'

* * *

Ranma didn't know how much martial art training these girls had had but knew it was little better than nil. But they sure had lots of power and stamina. She thought it was ridiculous that those two thought that she was one of them. 'I'm a guy, dammit!' she thought. For the past half hour, she, Akane and Xian Pu had been running interference, setting up the monsters so the senshi could get clear shots with their magical attacks. What they used wasn't ki, but it acted and felt enough like it that she felt close to being able to reproduce one. It would just take some time and practice, maybe using her confidence as the source.

Though Akane was nowhere in Ranma's or Xian Pu's league, Ranma was developing an admiration for her determination and the girl could do one thing that she, Ranma couldn't do yet. Akane's ki mallet had provided an intense distraction to several of the beasts, allowing the Jupiter girl to dust them with her lightnings. Nearby Xian Pu was doing similar duty with Sailors Neptune and Uranus. They were almost done with the battle and most people had run away when Ifor came barreling in, blowing away the last two youma with a few slashes and paw punches. Sailors Uranus and Neptune were taking offensive stances toward Ifor when Ranma and Xian Pu leapt in front of them. Xian Pu shouted, "That is Ifor, my airen, she is on our side and not another youma!" They cautiously relaxed their attitude and showed shock as a young girl stood where the huge animal had been.

The communicators buzzed and Sailor Moon let them know that their battle was finished, thanks to the arrival of Sailors Saturn and Pluto. They were relieved to hear that the others were as successful. Ifor declared, "Okay, I need to go get my mom now. Xian, do you want to come along for support?" "Where you go airen, I'll go too." "We'll see you back at the dojo, Ranma, Akane." Ifor and Xian Pu took off to the storefront where they hoped her mother would still be.

When they got there and saw Ifor's mother standing there looking about anxiously, Ifor could contain herself no more, "Mom!" She ran to her mother and hugged her, while Gwynne, mystified said, "I'm sorry, dear, though you look a lot like my daughter, you seem a little older." Ifor looked up at her and said, "Sorry Mom, I forgot, just a second." She became male and Gwynne swooned but didn't quite lose consciousness, as the girl became her son. "It is you, but what was all that shape shifting about?" "Mom, can I explain it all at the Tendo dojo? And can you accept that for now I need to be your daughter for a few more days? I can survive being hit by a bus, but if I don't remain a girl, my period can totally disable me." "Okay hon, it is just taking all I've got to accept any of this as anything but a fever dream." Ifor switched back and immediately bent over in pain. "Oh my! You really have it bad. I'm just glad that our 'talk' when you were ten was thorough. I just didn't know that you would have a practical application. Who is this other girl with you?" "Mom, that is part of a long story that I have to tell. Meet Xian Pu. According to the laws of the Joketsuzoko tribe, she is my wife." Gwynne decided that she had finally had enough and lost consciousness, to allow her brain to reboot. "Xian, please help me get her on my back and then hold her in place while I take us to the Tendos, okay?" "Sure airen." Soon a great bear was seen moving through the streets of Nerima, stopping at the front gate of the Tendo ke. Kasumi spotted them and helped Xian Pu carry Ifor's mother as she transformed into the form that had become familiar over the last few days.

A man dressed in an American military uniform approached and spoke, "I'm major Joe Kapolowicz, attached to the American consulate, I was too far back in the crowd to join you at the train. I must apologize for my failure to protect Mrs. Price. May I join you, as the United States government has an interest in what is going on here and I have some diplomatic leeway in negotiating an understanding." Nabiki had been watching when the major had arrived and decided that this was an opportunity to boost her and her family's position in what might become a dangerous international incident. Nabiki said, "Joe-san, would you please follow us to the living room, where we can speak more comfortably as well as privately." The American officer acquiesced to Nabiki's request with a sharp look. As they entered the house, Ifor's mother was just awakening on the couch. "Mom, can we go up to my bedroom? It has gotten too crowded in here for what I need to tell you and the house may soon be under surveillance." She gave the major a pointed look. "Come with us Xian. It concerns you as well."

In the attic bedroom, Ifor looked down the stairs and saw that Ranma had arrived. She gave her friend a meaningful glance and Ranma smirked as she leaned against the wall at the bottom of the staircase. No one was going to disturb them. She shut the door and turned to her mother and fell into Gwynne's arms and began to cry. "Mom, I've been dreaming for the last six months of being with you again!" "Its okay darling, we hunted for you and the sheriff said that you were probably dead, but I knew that you couldn't be. I never gave up and believed that you would come home or be in touch, somehow. And here you are, I feel that I've missed a big part of your growing up, though it has only been months. Please tell me what happened." With a few sniffles, Ifor began to tell his mother of what had happened since that schoolday afternoon.

"And Sailor Mercury told me that I had found Krons' soulstone and that it merged with me because I was a direct descendant." Ifor then opened up her shirt to reveal the tattoos setting above her pert assets. "There are two forms that I haven't tried yet and one that someone who called herself Gaia told me that I wasn't ready for and she pushed me back into human form." Gwynne had sat for over an hour listening in wonder to her child detailing some things that had been a mixture of legend and prophesy in their family for what she believed thousands of years. "Ifor…I…love you…child. Among the wiccans there was a prophesy that a wiccan would bear an immortal child of Gaia, two in one, who in turn would bear more, restoring the twelve totems of the tribe, in turn defending and serving the Earth Mother in a time of great need. There are other parts of the prophesy that were judged to be figurative or possibly allegorical, but I see may be literal. You may actually bear children. I approve your desire to wait a couple years to marry. Xian Pu, do you understand that this involves uniting two ancient tribes and compromise may be required where your laws are involved?" "My airen is important enough to me that I will leave my people behind if I must. But my great grandmother is nearby, if a treaty has to be negotiated." "I think that this union may be destined though the Amazons are in for some shocks, if I know my child. Ifor, I think that I'll teach you the offensive aspects of your wiccan heritage as soon as we can get some private space. Now cover your chest and we can go see what the Major, and whatever national security agency he's involved with, wants. I have long felt that we were being watched and he just stimulated my paranoia."

Well, sorry but I have just run out of steam and think that I'll work on S.A.K. and some shorter one shots. My original character is with his mother and Ranma is potential senshi material. They can all take care of themselves for a while.

Ciao.


End file.
